Ninja Village in Koka, Shiga Prefecture
I really don’t know much about ninjas, but when I learned there was a ninja village about an hour from where I was staying at Lake Biwa, I had to go. I mean, how many times will I have an opportunity to visit a real ninja village in Japan.
I followed my GPS down a remote road and when I pulled into the dirt/gravel parking lot, my GPS said “You have arrived”. I looked around and saw only a small gate type entryway and wondered if I was truly there. But yes, this was it. It is hidden from view behind trees and without GPS, you would most likely drive right past it.
The structures and dojos appear to be built to blend into the landscape. Many of the structures had thatched roofs. Most of the people working there did not speak English and I had no cell signal, so I couldn’t use my translation tools. It was interesting to look at the different buildings to see how the ninjas lived and where they trained.
Museum Artifacts
There is a small museum in one building that has some clothes, documents, throwing stars, and various other things used by the ninjas.
One of the things I found most interesting were the secret passages in the dojos.
I read that visitors can rent ninja costumes and try out some of the training areas such as climbing the rock wall, throwing stars, and walking on water. I think some of the activities may not have available due to Covid. Also, it appears that they close down during the winter. I think this would be fun for kids (and adults) once things open after restrictions are over.
There is also another ninja village about an hour from this one in Iga, Mei prefecture. It seems that these are the two most widely known, although there were apparently quite a few others. There is a Ninja House close to Koka Ninja Village. You can read more about it and about ninjas here.
Admission
1100 yen
Hours
10:00 to 16:00 (most weekdays)
9:00 to 17:00 (most weekends and peak travel seasons)
Closed Mondays
Rental Costume
Children 610 yen
Adults 1030 yen